Areola/nipple surgical wound protector

Abstract

An aerola/nipple surgical wound protector including a sterile pad having an upper surface, a lower non-stick surface and a centrally-located pad opening through it and engaging the upper and lower surfaces. A transparent cone-shaped nipple protector member having an outwardly-disposed flange at its base portion is secured via the flange to the upper pad surface over the pad opening. The nipple protector member has an opening in its base portion, a dome with air holes therethrough at its opposite end, and an interior configured to receive the patient's nipple up through the opening and into the protector member. Four spaced adhesive tape strips extend radially out from the pad for securing the pad and protector member over the patient's nipple.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An areola/nipple surgical wound protector comprising: a sterile pad having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a centrally-located opening therethrough engaging said upper and lower surfaces,   a cone-shaped nipple protector formed of tissue-compatible transparent plastic, and having a base portion and a top portion,   said nipple protector member having at said base portion a radially-disposed flange with an upper annular flange surface,   
     
     
       a securing means for securing said base portion to said sterile pad upper surface and over said centrally-located opening, and for securing said sterile pad to the patient's breast so that the patient's nipple passes up through said opening and into said nipple protector member, said securing means directly securing said flange to said upper surface of said pad,   said securing means including a continuous tape member engaging said upper annular flange surface and a plurality of tape strips radially disposed out from said pad, and   said top portion defining at least one air hole passing therethrough for aerating the patient's nipple positioned in said nipple protector member.   
     
     
       2. The protector of claim 1 wherein said air hole has a diameter of 0.062 inches. 
     
     
       3. The protector of claim 1 wherein said at least one air hole comprises four spaced air holes. 
     
     
       4. The protector of claim 3 wherein each said air hole has a diameter of about 0.062 inches. 
     
     
       5. The protector of claim 1 wherein said flange has a width of 0.125 inches. 
     
     
       6. The protector of claim 1 wherein said top portion is smooth and rounded and forms a downwardly-disposed dome. 
     
     
       7. The protector of claim 1 wherein said plurality of tape strips comprises four tape strips spaced ninety degrees relative to each other. 
     
     
       8. The protector of claim 1 wherein said continuous tape member comprises an inner circular tape portion having a central opening through which said nipple protector member passes and said tape strips extending radially out from said inner circular tape portion. 
     
     
       9. The protector of claim 8 wherein the diameter of said inner circular tape portion is less than that of said pad. 
     
     
       10. The protector of claim 1 further comprising removable protective paper tape on the inner surface of said tape strips. 
     
     
       11. The protector of claim 1 further comprising a sterile package enclosing said sterile pad, said nipple protector member, and said securing means. 
     
     
       12. The protector of claim 1 wherein said sterile pad comprises a circular 21/2 inch diameter non-sticking 3/16 inch thick sterile pad and said centrally-located opening has a 3/4 inch diameter. 
     
     
       13. The protector of claim 1 wherein said nipple protector member has a one inch diameter at said base portion and a height of 3/4 inch.